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Choosing the Right Storage Solutions

A media cabinet or armoire provides hidden storage for the television, stereo, DVD player, game console and more, plus at-hand organization for movies, games and music. But today's sleek, display-worthy televisions and ultra-compact components make it possible to use other furnishings as media centers, letting you tailor your media storage to suit your decor or space considerations. Here are a few creative options.

Designed to tuck behind a sofa or against a wall, the classic console table can offer efficient, stylish media storage in space-challenged rooms. With wide and slim proportions perfect for today's flatscreen TVs, most consoles also have shelves to support stereos and other electronics. Open shelving lets you choose whether to keep your media library on display or stowed in baskets or bins.

Despite the name, buffets are not just for dining rooms. Their sophisticated styling, low and wide shapes with combinations of cabinets and drawers offer elegant storage everywhere from the entry foyer to the upstairs hall. Those same qualities make them excellent media centers. Hang your TV above the buffet, place electronics on cabinet shelves, and use drawers to organize DVDs or stash remote controls. Holes can easily be drilled in the back of the buffet to manage your audio and video cords.

A dresser may seem like an unusual choice for a media center, but for people who enjoy having a TV in the bedroom, it's a natural storage option. Plus, it offers real advantages to anyone with an extensive library of music, movies or games. The wide top provides ample room for a television and allows speakers to be placed for optimal sound quality. And, for storing a large media library, it's hard to beat drawers; they keep CDs, DVDs and video tapes neatly out of sight but organized and accessible.